Medicine Hat Minute: Land Sale, Audit Underway, and Legal Fees Paid

Medicine Hat Minute: Land Sale, Audit Underway, and Legal Fees Paid

 

Medicine Hat Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Medicine Hat politics

 

This Week In Medicine Hat:

  • The Public Services Committee will meet on Tuesday at 3:45 pm. The Committee will hear the Friends of Medalta 2023 Annual Report. The City of Medicine Hat and the Friends of Medalta Society have a lease agreement, wherein the Society leases the Medalta Property for $1.00 over the entire lease term. The Committee will also hear from Managing Director Hutter, who will discuss topics of interest including Fire Prevention Week Activities, Outdoor Washroom/Facility Closures, the Kinsmen Aquatic Park, and the Medicine Hat Public Library Space at the Big Marble Go Centre.

  • The Development and Infrastructure Committee will meet on Thursday at 1:00 pm. No agenda is available for this meeting yet.

  • Preliminary work for a provincial audit of Medicine Hat City Hall is underway, with officials indicating that the process could lead to recommendations by spring 2025. The audit follows a formal request from Council to Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver to identify any underlying issues and facilitate a necessary reset. Interviews with Council members and senior staff have begun as part of the scoping exercise. Premier Danielle Smith mentioned that while an inspection might be considered, mediation could also be a potential approach to resolving conflicts within Council.

 


 

Last Week In Medicine Hat:

  • The City has agreed to reimburse City Manager Ann Mitchell for her legal costs of $6,520.50 related to a cease and desist letter sent to Mayor Linnsie Clark, along with approving a 3% raise retroactive to February 2024. While the majority of Councillors supported both measures, Clark and Councillor Alison Van Dyke voted against them. The cease and desist letter, sent in November 2023, accused Clark of defamation, detailing two instances where she allegedly made false statements about Mitchell’s authority.

  • Council approved a new Public Code of Conduct aimed at promoting civility in interactions between the public and City employees. This policy outlines the consequences for unacceptable behaviour, which includes harassment and verbal abuse, and is designed to protect staff from extreme cases of incivility. Mayor Linnsie Clark was the lone vote against it, arguing that it is excessive and could lead to unnecessary penalties for the public. She likened it to scolding the public. Supporters, including Councillor Shila Sharps, believe the code is essential for fostering respectful communication and maintaining a safe work environment for City employees. However, some residents expressed concerns that the policy may be misused, potentially widening the gap between the public and City staff.

  • Council approved the sale of two parcels of land to cryptocurrency firm Hut 8 Mining Corp. for $600,000. Hut 8 has been leasing the land since its launch in 2018, initially starting with a 10.96-acre site. Following a letter of interest from Hut 8, the city confirmed that the proposed price of $300,000 per site was fair after conducting a market analysis. Councillor Shila Sharps expressed enthusiasm about the company's growth and the skilled workforce it brings to the city.

 

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  • Common Sense Medicine Hat
    published this page in News 2024-10-13 19:19:10 -0600